


Because We Have Each Other

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Richard and Anne: One-shots [12]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-09
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-03 23:38:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1759795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard returned from France in disappointment. Anne was eager to see him happy again, but in her heart, she was holding a secret that was kept from him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Because We Have Each Other

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ChelleLeigh1917](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleLeigh1917/gifts).



Anne knew her husband was pissed.

He had returned from France, safe and sound.

No wound. No bruise.

He was alive and in one piece.

That brought her a sigh of relief. She remembered how much she worried at Tewkesbury years ago, when she heard about that Richard’s grave injury. Anne thanked God many, many times for his safe return.

But he was not happy when he dismounted his horse.

“Richard—“ Before she could finish, he grabbed her hand and dragged her away without giving either George or King Edward a look. Anne looked back and saw Queen Elizabeth joyfully greeted her husband with her children by her side. That made her sad.

She had yet told Richard about her miscarriage.

***

Richard had not spoken to her. Wordlessly, he had his squire removed his armor with Anne watched quietly aside.

After he dismissed his squire, Anne carefully approached him. “You want to talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Richard replied evenly. He rose and went for his bath.

That night the two slept side by side. No touching. No lovemaking.

The next morning, a huge coffer of gold was delivered to their quarter. Anne was surprised.

Richard stared at that coffer in anger.

“He mocked me a fool of chivalry!” He spat under his breath.

“Richard,” Anne went to him. “What happened? Tell me.”

“I don’t know my brother anymore,” he told her. “Ned negotiated with Louis. Instead of a glorious war, they spent the time drinking. And this…”

Anne bit her lips. “Richard, think this way. England had endured enough from all these wars and battle. Years of peace, no matter how it’s achieved, can avoid further bloodshed and loss.”

“And I thought once again us three brothers of York can fight together. But perhaps…each one of us is alone.”

“We are not alone,” Anne said, placing her hand on his arm. “Because we have each other.”

Finally, Richard turned his attention to her. He pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest.

Then he remembered a letter from his mother that he had yet finished reading.

***

The night had fallen. Before her cosmetic table, Anne dismissed her ladies and brushed her hair herself. She studied her reflection in the mirror.

_Each one of us is alone…_

That was exactly how she felt when she lost her baby. Before his departure for war, she promised him that they’d have a dozen babies. To her joy, she found herself with child—conceived after his sincere promise that all he needed is her and his honor. Anne brought the news to Isabel, who was also with child. The two sisters could not be happier.

And then they encounter the Queen.

Elizabeth said them, “Let’s hope that we are all fertile like our mothers.”

Her mother, Lady Jacquetta of Rivers, was fertile indeed with fourteen children. Elizabeth herself was no less fertile than her mother: two boys with her first husband; and six children with her second husband, the King. Isabel only had a girl, Margaret and was carrying her second. Anne only had Ned.

“She cursed us!” Isabel gasped in fear.

“No, she didn’t,” Anne dismissed Isabel’s worry. “She only made a comment.”

“Fertile like our mother,” Isabel refused to listen. “Our mother only has us, two daughters.”

Anne tried her best to sooth Isabel. She certainly did not want any more trouble with the Queen.

On her way back to her chamber, however, she was plagued by pain in her abdomen. She felt something wet.

_No, no, no…_

She collapsed in the hall and had to be carried to bed.

She lost the baby.

Duchess Cecily and Isabel both came to see her. Despite Anne’s pleading, Cecily wrote to Richard and informed him of this incident. Meanwhile, Isabel held her hand and whispered, “Anne, she did it. She cursed us! The midwife said it was a boy!” Then she added, “We have to do something against that curse, Annie. We must have sons. Or else, our husbands will put us aside…”

Isabel went on and on until Anne asked her to leave.

She felt so alone.

_Each one of us is alone…_

“Anne?” Richard came behind her, interrupted her thoughts. He took her brush away and placed his hand on her shoulder.

 _He knows…_ Anne could tell by the looks from his eyes.

“Come,” he took her hand and led her to bed. He removed her shoes and settled her in bed. She stared at the ceiling as he joined her in bed.

“What’s the point of touching me?” She murmured as tears streamed down her face. “I failed you…I don’t know why…”

“Shh,” he drew her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest. “Say no more.”

“Had the baby lived, I’d be huge by now…and it’d bring you so much joy after coming back…”

“Anne,” Richard placed his finger onto her lips. “I’m only relieved that you are okay.”

“But you need heirs to continue your line,” Anne said. “I’m replaceable, but—“

“No!” Richard grabbed her shoulders. “You are never replaceable! No one can ever take your place.”

“What…” Anne was surprised to hear that from him.

“Here, let’s get rid of this and I’ll show you,” Richard said as he unlaced her nightgown and pulled it over her head.

He took a strand of her hair and said, “This, I covered with kisses and brushed hundreds of times with my own hands.”

Brushing her hair aside and leaving her torso bare, he placed his hand on her neck. “It’s here I placed one precious gift after another to make you happy.”

His hand then moved down to her breasts and rubbed her nipple. “Here I kissed and caressed to give you pleasure. I can’t tell you how satisfied I was, watching you nursing Ned to make him strong.”

His hand went to her belly. “And it was here you carried Ned; where I placed my hands to feel his kicks.”

His hand moved further down and stopped on her thighs. “On our wedding night, you were stiff and scared. Lancaster had not treated you well. I rubbed and stroked here to relax you, to make you feel safe.”

Lastly, he took her hands. “With these, you touched me and made me complete. With these, you wrote to me so that I’m not alone while away from you. It bears the marital ring that bound us together.”

Finally, he stroked her lips. “And here, I kissed a thousand times. From here, you gave me the sweetest words.”

He cupped her face and said, “No one can ever take your place. You are everything to me, Anne.”

He leaned to kiss her. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. Slipping her hand under his nightshirt, she removed it and held him against her so they touch skin to skin. He laid her down and covered her body with kisses and caresses. Anne moaned as his cupped her breasts and then teased her nipples with his lips. As he moved down to kiss her belly, she placed one leg on his shoulder and gave him a nod.

_Take me…_

He left a trail of kisses on her leg and positioned himself.

He entered her with one thrust. It was slow at first, but then it became faster. His hand intertwined with hers as he held her arms over her head. Anne groaned as they reached climax.

***

“How’s our boy?” Richard asked as he played with her hair.

“He’s fine,” Anne replied as she drew circles on his bare shoulder. “His governess wrote me that he has grown. He has developed a liking to my mother.”

“That’s good to hear,” Richard said and kissed on her head.

“Richard, let’s go home to Middleham,” Anne said, semi-pleading. “I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

Richard nodded. “Yes, home to Middleham. We’ll have each other, and our son.”

Anne nodded against his chest. She closed her eyes and envisioned their return to Middleham.

_The smell of Middleham is nice and sweet…_

_Little Ned, live as a squirrel in his nanny’s arms, claps his hands in joy seeing their return…_

_Richard takes little Ned in his arms and their boy mumbles the word, “Papa.”_

_And Anne watches from afar with her hand rubbing her swollen belly…_

Middleham was their home indeed, where they’d always have each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment please!
> 
> I am not happy with that scene in Episode 7 where Richard walked away from Anne after she said, "We are not alone because we have each other." Actor Aneurin Barnard had done a decent job to keep the viewers guessing: does Richard truly loves Anne or he's a type of person who tends not to show his feelings?
> 
> The show TWQ may be addictive because we might want to watch it over and over again hoping to make it right. But it is what it is. Whatever it tends to be or to show, it failed. No, actors are not to blame. It's the writing.


End file.
